Line-switch



J. N. REYNOLDS.

LINE SWITCH.

APPLICATION men OCT-26.1916.

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UNE SWHCH.

APPLlCATION HLED oc1.2s. me.

1 306, 1 24. latuntcd J une 10, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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by Airy UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN NEWBERRY REYNOLDS, OF GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN N nwnnnnr RnY- NOLDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenwich, in the county of Fairficld and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Line- Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to telephone switching mechanism, and more particularly to the mechanical construction and assembly of a crossbar switch such as is shown and described in' Patent 1,131,734, to J. N. Reynolds, dated March 16, 1915.

The objects of this invention in general are to improve the operation and simplify the mechanical construction and details of the mounting of parts, whereby a simple, compact and rigid structure with the minimum number of 1). ts all easily accessible for replacements and repairs is provided.

One of the features of this invention re lates to the method of operation of the line bars, whereby they may be moved into engagement with the trunk bars at a maximum of speed with a minimum distance of actual displacement. According to this feature of the invention, the line bars are pivotally mounted upon trunnions in such a manner that, upon energization of the line relay or magnet, said line bars are caused to move upwardly and inwardly, upon the arc of a circle of small radius, into engagement with the contacts of the trunk bars.

Another feature of this invention relates to the construction of the line bars, whereby a light and rigid structure of few and simple parts is easily produced- Other features of this invention relate to the mounting and assembly of the parts .whereby either the line or trunk bars can. be easily removed without interference, the details of the spring assembly of the trunk bars whereby firmly alined and uniformly tensioned contacts are provided, the mounting of the trunk bar opcratin" magnets whereby the distortional eli'ect resulting from the turning of the trunk bars is reduced to a mmnnum,

and other details of construction and combination bf parts whereby a simple and cilicient structure is produced.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal crosssectional view of a structure embodying the features of this invention; Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation with parts broken Specification of Letters Yatent. Patented June 10, 1919.

Application filed October 26, 1916.

Serial No. 127,944.

- tion; 5 is a perspective view with parts in sectlon showing the construction of a trunk bar and method of mounting the con-. tacts thereon; and Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view with parts broken away showing the method of mounting the trunk bars.

In general the switch to which this invention relates is one in which bars carrying trunk terminals are pivotally mounted in a manner to be angularly displaced, in order to bring the terminals thereon into a Josition to be engaged by terminals of :1 inc bar which is mounted at right angles to the trunk bar, and is adapted to be moved into position where its terminals will engage the terminals of the trunk bar and remain in engagement therewith during the time that the line is in use. The engagement between one set of line terminals and a set of trunk terminals causes the release of a trunk bar, whereupon all other terminals on said trunk bar except the set in use are returned to a position where they cannot be engaged by subse uently operated line bars.

ach of the trunk bars comprises a tubular member 5 to one side of which is firmly secured a terminal supporting plate 6. The terminal supporting plate 6 extends outwardly from the tubular member 5, and is provided at its outer margin with a turned-over portion 7. Secured to the plateti adjacent to the tubular member 5 are strips of insulation 8, 8 alternated with strips 9, 10 and 11 of conducting material. Extending from each of the strips of insulation 8, 8 are a plurality of arms 12, 12 which project slightly beyond the turned-over portion 7 of the terminal supporting plate (3. Extending from each of the strips 9, 10 and 11 of conducting material are a plurality of spring arms 13, 13, 14, 14, and 15, 15 respectively, each of said arms being provided at its outer end with a bent-over portion with which the terminals of the line bars are adapted to engage. The spring arms 13, 13 are longer than the arms 14, 14 and the latter are longer than 15, 15. The strips 8, 8 of insulation and 9, 10 and 11 of conducting material are clamped tightly against the Hat surface of the )late 6 by means of screws, while the turned-over peri tecin tion 7 of said plate engages the projecting arms 12 -12.of theinner strip of insulating material 8. The pressure exerted 'upcntl e ends of these arms 12, .12, 13,13, 14, 14 and 15, 15 b the turned-over portion 7, when the and 15,15 and maintains them in alinement.

Line bars 20, 20 which are adapted to c0- 0 rate with these trunk bars are made' in s eletonized form, and each comprises enerally a pair of side-supporti mem v re 21, 21, between which are loca the current conducting members 22, 23 and 24, theframe members 21, 21 and the conducting strips 22, 23 and 24 are secured to either at their ends and'between theirends y rivets 25, 25. The conducting strips 22, 23'and' 24 are separated from each other and from the frame members 21, 21 by means of in-.

sulating washers 26, 26. Formed on each of the conductingstri 22, 23 and 24 are projecting contact embers 27, 27.- The strips 22, 23 and 24' (are so mounted that the pro ectin contact members 27, 27 formintgi one set 0 terminals are sli htly staggere with respect toeach other; at is, the promember 27 on contact strip 22 will e slightly in advance of the corresponding contact member 27 on the strip 23, and the rojectin contact member 27 on the strip 1S slig tly in advance of the projecting contact member 27 of the same set on the strip 24. All of the parts of this line bar 20 may be punched from sheet metal, 'and readily secured together by rivets, thereby ture. U s

Each of the tubular members 5 has secured to its ends inwardly projecting arms 30 and 31, each arm having 'a ro ectin ivot pin 32. Projecting throug top an iiottom, horizontal frame members 33 and 34 are pivot screws 35 and 36, upon the ends of which are cupped members 37 and 38, adapted to receive the pivotal pins 32, 32 to pivotally support the trunk bars. The pro jecting arms 30 and 31 extend inwardly between the arms of ronged members 39 and 40, secured to the inner faces of the frame members 33 and 34;, said ron ed members serving as etc for limiting t swinging movement of t e trunk bars. By loosening the lock'nuts and withdrawing the pivot screws 35 and'36, the trunk bars may be removed from the rear of the frame without disturbing any of the other apparatus thereon.' The frame membernmybe sup crted at the top and bottom of front an rear snarl: bar frame members 41 and 42 and 43 an n Secured to the rear frame members 43 and 44 at approximately their center portions is a channeled plate 45, to which is re- Secured to opposite arms-52 an movably secured a-ma et supporting plate 46, there being-one sue frame for each two of the, trunk bars. Each of these plates carries two sets of magnets, one set comprising magnets 47 and 48 the other set'comprising magnets 49and150. The magnets 47 and 49 cdn'stitute the setting magnets for adjacent the cor uing release magnets. The win 5i thecormsponding magnets are mounted upon common cores, arid the magnets are secured'in-place by means of serews= 51, 51 which'extend-through the plate 46,

into at with the portions of the cores between e two windi thereon.

plate 48 are brackets 54 and 55, in which are mounted armatures '56 and 57, ada ted to be attracted by the magnets 47 an 49 respectively. The armature 56, when attracted, is adaptedto engage an arm58 projecting from a trunk 59 to displace said trunk bar angularly; A latch member 60, supported upon the channel plate- .45, is adapted to retain said trunk bar in its distrunk biirs', while the magnets 48 and 50 are 53 of the placed position until released by means of 48. Similarly, the m ets 49 and 50 control the setting and re ease bf a trunk bar an armature 61 'controlled by the magnet stop arms 65- and 6,6 for the arm 58 are mounted upon the channel plate '45, and

serve to maintain the ad'ustment of the arm 58 and its trunk bar wit respect to the op erating and release m ets. With such. a

construction it is possib e to remove and re glace trunk bars n the manner heretofore escrlbed, without necessitating a readjust ment of the operating or release magnets. Also the group of ma nets 47,48, 49 and 50 may be removed byl t the plate .46 from t e plate 45, and without interferencewith the trunk bar adjustment. A spring 68 serves to return the displaced trunk bar to normal position when released by the withdrawal of the latch 60 by the energization of the release magnet.

It will be understood of course that there will be a group of magnets -47, 4B, 49 and 50 and corresponding arts for each ir of trunk bars of the switch. By provi in this method of mounting the operating and release m ets at the center of the structure not on y facilitates the removal and replacement of parts, but since the ressure or operating the trunk bars is app ied at a point distant from both ends, the distortional efi'ectof the turningof the trunk bars is much less than it would be if the turning force is applied near'either end of the trunk bars.

Mounting plates-70 and 71 for the line loo e slmpleremoval of bars 20, 20 are securedto the frame memhers 41 and 43. The plate 7 1 has a turnedover portion 72, provided with openings movable.

1 78, 73 through which the bars 20, 20 are the line bars t one end each of 20 is sup rted by a simple pivoted link 74,

one end of which is attached to the end of the line bar, the other end to the plate or'71, as the case may be, by means of a pivot pin 75. I At the opposite end of each inc bar '20 is a link 76, generally triangular in the g, pivotally supported upon the plate 70 or iy means of a pivot pin 77. One

oorneh of the link 76 is attached to the end of the line bar 20, while another corner thereof is provided with a pin 78 adapted to be engaged by an armature 79 of a line magnet 80 to move said bar inwardly and upwardly into on gement with contacts of a displaced trunk ar. Cotter ins 81, 81 are inserted thmu h the outer on s of the pivot pins and 7 to retain said line bars in place and permit of their ready removal. he mounting of the line bars on links as described causes them to move inwardly and upwardly in a single movenient and in substantially a straight line mo ement.

The frame members 21, 2 of each of the line bars 20 areeaehprovid d with an ear or projection 83'ther n, ad'acc'nt the end which is supported on the plate 71, which rojections are adapted when the line bar is operated to engagetlre face of the turnedover portion -72, adja cut to the openings therein, to limitth'e'm aid movement of the line bars.

Coiled springs 84, 84 are? employed for returning the line bars 20, 20 to their normal positions after 0 ration.

Secured to t e frame member 43 is a mounting plate 86, upon which is removably mounted a bracket member 87-. This bracket member su orts two magnet windings 88 and 89 wit associated cores. Pivotally supported in a bracket member 90, secured to member 87, is the armature 79, which extends iicross the faces of the cores of both magnet-windings 88 and 89 into operative relation to the line bar 20, as heretofore explained. A second bracket member 91, secured to the bracket 90, carries an armature 92 in position to be attracted by the core of winding 88. The armature 92 controls contact springs 93 and 94, and is responsive only to the energization of winding 88. The armature 79 is responsive to the energization of 88 arid 89 together, but to neither alone. and 88 and 89 together the line magnet. There will of course be a line relay and a line magnet for each of the line bars20, and in order that the line bars may be mounted as closely together as possible for good operation alterpate ones may be operated from opposite ends as indicated in Fig. 2. It will be obvious that the arrangement of line relays and line nmgnets may be duplicated upon the other side of the frame.

In addition to the regular terminalsion the line bars 20, each is provided with an extra set ofterminals 95 thereon. The terminals of the set 95 are formed in the same manner as the other terminals of the bar, but are located near one end of the bar and are adapted to make contact with n set of stationary terminals 96 arranged -,in the same manner as the terminals on the trunk T bars. There is a set of stationary terminals for each line bar and the line conductors are connected with the separate s rings Q thereof, thereby avoiding the use of eitible movable conductors for including the line bars in the circuit.

The operation of the switching mechanism embodyi the features of this invention is substantially the same as that of the switch shown and described in the Patent 1,131,734, with the exception that in the device illustrated in this specification. the trunk bars are set by individual magnets, whereas in the device of the )iltflnt, a common setting means is provided for the trunk bars. Briefly,

to a displaced position by reason of the energization of its individual setting magnet, and will be locked in such displaced position temporarily. Upon the energization of a line magnet the corresponding line bar will be moved inwardly and upwardly to bring contacts thereon into engagement with con tacts of the displaced bar, and also to bring the contacts of the set 95 into engagement with the stationary contacts of the set 96. Upon the engagement of the contacts of an operated line bar with the contacts of a displaced trunk bar, the release magnet is caused to operate to release the trunk bar and permit it to return to normal position with its nnengaged contacts out of osition to he engaged by the contacts 0 subsequently operated line bars. The line bar, however, will remain in operated: position and the engagement of the contacts of the line and trunk bars will cause the contact arms of the trunk bar to flex slightly out of their normal sition, and the pressure will insure goon electrical connectioii "h etween thecontacts of the two bars. WZ-lien the line magnet is deenergized the line bar will be returned to normal position, tlius separating the contacts of the two bars.

What is claimed is:

1. In a switching mechanism, switch bars, cooperating sets of contacts on said bars vertically and horizontally separated from each other, and means for moving one of said bars at right angles to and in the direction of its length in a continuous movement upon the arc of a circle.

2. In a switching mechanism intersecting switch bars, cooperatin sets oi contacts on said bars vertically an horizontally sepathe operation is as-follows: -A preselected trunk bar will be set or moved rated from each other, and means for moving one of said bars at ri%ht angles to and in the direction f its ion 1 in one continuous movement to ring the contacts thereon into an cut with contacts on the' other bar. '3: an a switching mechanism for teleho'ne exchan line bars, contacts on said ine bars, trun bars, contacts on said trunk bars horizontally imd vertically separated from the contacts on said line bars, and meansrfor moving said line bars at right angles to and in the direction of their length in a continuous movement to bring the contacts thereon into engagement ,with. the contacts on said trunk bars.

4. In a s'witchi mechanism, a support ing flame, vertica contact bars supported on said frame, horizontal contact bars, the contacts of said vertical and horizontal bars bem vertically and horizontally separated in t e normal position of said horizontal;

bars, means for moving said horizontal bars, and pivotal supporting links for said bars. for causing a continuous movement thereof in a horizontal and vertical direction in response to-said moving means to brin the terminals thereon into engagement'wit ter:

minals on said vertical. bar. 7

5. In' a switching mechanism for tele phone systems, a supporting frame, line switching members mounted upon said'frame and removable from the front thereof, and trunk switching members mounted upon said frame and removable from the rear thereof.

- 6. In a switchin mechanism for telephone systems, a switching member includ- 1 sulated from eac -other, termina mg a terminal'mounting plate, apluralit of condn strips insulated from will extending from each of said strips and means for clamping'said strips to saidmounting late and maintaining said terminals in a inement' and all under an equal tension $7. In a. switchingmechanism fp r' tele- .phone systems, a switchingmember in'clud :1 terminal mounting plate, a longitudiprojection ;on said te minal'mounting plate, a plurallt of con sting strips inother, ntact arms pro-J {acting from each of'said #trips'beyond the ongitudmal pro eetion .1' said terminal I mounting plate, and 101'" clampin 'jectiodgt'ni' a plate.

. mounting.- glate: with jthe" contact arms of ,strips, contact arms extending -.frcse' said of sets of intersecting mo r ing bar's, means for moving" the bars of a said line bai-s maintaining moons;

ed to be interposed between said conducting member's thereon, securing means located at separated points for mechanically securing said frame members and said'conducting straps together, and means located only at sai securing points, for electrically separating said-items member and said conducting strips each, from the other. y

10. In a switching mechanism, a skeletonized switch member comprising a pair of frame membemfli plurality ofmetal conducting stri 3 each havin a plurality of rtion of said contact mem rsformed t ereon, rivets inserlpd throughsaid frame members and condue-tin strips at a points (it mechanics y securing sai frame membersland said contact strips .together, and insulating washers interposed between the separate contact strips and the-contactstrips and frame members and secured by said rivets.

lurality of se arated,

11. In a sivitching mechanism, a plurality i veble contact care sets for contacts of intersecting hars into en agement, a set of stationary contact mem rs ir lividual to the movable bars of on set, and coiiperating contacts on each bar of one set adapted to engage a 00- operating set of stationary contact members upomoperationof said bars, said sets of 60- operati contactsmaintainin their engage ment while the bars of said est mentioned set arein operated position.

12. In a switching or.te1ephone systems, a set of movable trunk bars, contacts thereon a set iii-movable line bars, contacts on .sai IineJJI T adapted brought into eat with contacts on said trunk bars in response ,to the =m'ovements' of both of said a set of stationary contact members individual to each of said line bars and co each of aaid'line bars roughtinto engage-* rating contacts on ment withsiiid stutionary contacts upon movement of said line barsththe contacts on eir enga ement with and stationary contacts whale t e line burs are-in operated 65 'strips, a plurality ofinsulating stnizis adapt '13. In a switching medianism, a support ing frame, movable trunk bars mounted on said frame, contacts on said trunk bars movable line bars mounted on said frame, contacts on said line bars arranged to engage the contacts on said trunk burs. rotatable link members, said line bars being supported at each end on said rotatable link members, means for moving a trunk bar into position to have its contacts engaged by contacts on 10 said line bars, and vleetro magnets having armaturcs arranged to engage and operate said link members to displace said line bars vertically and longitudinally in a continuons circular movement.

14. In a switching mechanism, a frame, movable trunk bars mounted on said frame, contacts on said bars, movable line bars mounted on said frame, contacts on said line bars arranged to engage the contacts on said trunk bars operating magnets for ezu-h trunk bar arranged to move said bars into position to cooperate with the line bars, rotatable upporting links said line bars being supported at. oachend on said rotatable links, and operating magnets for said line bars arranged to operate said links to move a line bar to engage its contacts with the contacts of a positioned trunk bar, the operating magnets of said trunk bars being arranged to act. upon the trunk bars at a point substantially midway the ends thereof.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 25th day of October, A. D. 1916.

JUH N NIQWBERRY REYNOLDS. 

